Yellow Jackets provide tough test for Tigers

AUBURN, Ala. -- No. 16 Auburn doesn't have to wait long to provide some answers for those wondering if the Tigers are capable of managing an impressive encore season.

Are they one-year wonders? Can they overcome a massive loss of talent to the NFL?

The Tigers don't get much of a grace period to find out, opening Saturday night with Georgia Tech, another team that polished off the 2004 season with a flourish.

Sure, it's a chance for the Yellow Jackets to vault into the Top 25 and grab some national respect. However, coming off a 13-0 season, a Southeastern Conference championship and a No. 2 final ranking, it's the Tigers who may have the most to prove.

They're well aware that few, if any, give them much of a shot to do it again.

"We've been counted out by a lot of people," Auburn safety Will Herring said. "We're not going to worry about that.

"We're definitely as hungry as we were last year. Just because we went 13-0, we can't think we're going to be able to just show up."

Actually, Auburn tried that approach once already in recent years with Georgia Tech with predictable results. Two years ago, the Tigers entered the season predicted to win the SEC and contend for a national title.

Not even a dismal opening performance against Southern California apparently convinced them they might lose to Georgia Tech. But they did, 17-3, behind a feeble offensive performance in perhaps the nadir of a disappointing season.

"That was a crushing loss for us," Herring said. "They handed it to us."

"It's a huge motivator," defensive tackle T.J. Jackson said. "We talk about it all the time."

Georgia Tech can play the spoiler again, but mainly the Yellow Jackets want to build on that 51-14 Champs Sports Bowl win over Syracuse. It's their first visit to Auburn since 1986 in a once-famed rivalry.

"I think he's probably speaking the truth," Gailey said. "He does have a lot of talent on this football team. He has a lot of experienced talent on this football team.

"They lost some great players but they have some very good players who are potentially great players coming back. I don't think he's out there doing anything abnormal. He just believes in his guys. They should."

And the game does feature a rising offensive star in Yellow Jacket receiver Calvin Johnson.

The 6-foot-4, 225-pounder had a fantastic freshman season, making dazzling plays and becoming only the second true freshman to earn first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for Georgia Tech.

Johnson will be frequently matched up with a new starter at cornerback, David Irons, who has drawn rave reviews from teammates and coaches for his coverage skills.

Georgia Tech offensive coordinator Patrick Nix might be stating the obvious when he says Johnson needs to be a significant part of the offense.

"It's got to be something real drastic for us not to throw the ball to him," said Nix, a former Auburn quarterback. "He is that kind of receiver. At the same time, he makes our running game that much better because they have to double (cover) him."

Auburn counters with its own star receiver Courtney Taylor and an untested backfield.

Cox and tailbacks Kenny Irons and Tre Smith have three combined starts, all courtesy of Smith -- in 2002.

Taylor knows that all translates into an offense that won't always be pretty or potent.

"At the same time, those guys are finding their identity and they're talented enough to do it."

Like the team overall, they get an early chance to prove it.

"It should give us a very good idea of where we're at, not counting whether we're going to win or lose the game," Tuberville said. "It's going be a very stiff contest for us at almost every position. We'll have a pretty good barometer of where we're at after Saturday night."